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Sunday night I practiced for an upcoming strongman contest at the Bells of Steel training facility (it's a trailer in the middle of nowhere). We used a variety of implements to get a great workout in such as kettlebells, clubbells, sledgehammers, a thick rope, a prowler, a fat bar, a log and a keg. Talk about using some creativity in the gym eh?

You have to be creative if you want a long career in the strength game. Let's face it, variety is the spice of life, and muscular adaptation. You won't improve forever by just banging out the same sets and reps of the same drills. So don't be afraid to mix things up in the gym, or outside of it. Take your kettlebells outside and throw them. Find some big stones and play with them. Or, join a strongman friendly gym and get destroyed by a crazy coach and a bunch of fellow madmen.

Here is the workout we did on Sunday for strongman practice:

• Circuit Warm-Up, 45 second per station
• kettlebell front hold, battling ropes, 45lb plate front raise, standing dumbbell wrist curls, sledgehammer lift and twist, clubbell stand ups
• Hand Over Hand Rope Pull
• sitting with feet braced against solid object
• row the rope using your whole body to pull a loaded prowler sled towards you as quickly as possible
• once the prowler is at your feet, stand up and push it back to the starting point as quickly as possible
• 2 sets
• Keg Clean and Press followed immediately by Log Clean and Press
• 45 seconds of keg lifting, 15 second rest, 30 seconds of log lifting
• this is a puker!
• 1 set, as many reps as possible in the given time
• Fat Bar Deadlifts
• worked up to 4RM
• switching grip each rep including double overhand and double underhand
• Kettlebell Pass and Squat
• stand facing a partner, your partner passes the kettlebell through the air to you, catch and squats down, then squat back up and pass to partner
• back and forth for 45 seconds
• Plyo Jumps with Kettlebell Catch
• jump onto a plyo box and catch a kettlebell as you land
• 20 jumps
• be sure to have a diligent partner!

That is it. Let's just say I was an absolute mess after this. I pounded two massive bowls of my wife's Thai Chicken Curry, took a cold shower for mental toughness training, then passed out. I am very sore today and as a result took it pretty easy.

Here is an example of how to do the hand over hand thick rope pull. I have used my wife as "dead" weight before.


Here is a video of Pro Strongman Kevin Nee clean and pressing a 325 sandbag and then a keg to give you some man-ivation.


Some Log Clean and Press for you.


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